


Darkness Within

by bunnyrevolution



Category: Dragon Nest
Genre: Angst, Character Death, Gen, Violence
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2015-10-07
Updated: 2015-10-20
Packaged: 2018-04-25 07:33:20
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 4
Words: 812
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4951909
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/bunnyrevolution/pseuds/bunnyrevolution
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>In another place and time, they shied away from the light.<br/>In another place and time, they embraced the darkness.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Betrayal

Utter betrayal.

 

That was what he felt as the sharp end of his friend's sword pressed close against his neck. He looked across the battlefield where his other comrades lie on the ground, some gravely wounded, the rest most likely dead.

 

His gaze soon fall upon the Gladiator's face, devoid of all the traits that made them close friends. He was no longer the cheerful boy with strong sense of justice. "Well, well, look who's gotten stronger?" Ishmere barked bitterly

 

"I guess you've finally surpass Barnac."

 

Rysvan smirked in return and pressed the edge of his sword just enough to draw blood against the Crusader's neck. "And you're as snarky as ever," he responded. It felt very ironic that the boy who once saved Lagendia will now destroy it with his bare hands.

 

Ishmere could only blame himself for not being able to save him from the darkness within his heart.

 

Withdrawing the sword from Ishmere's neck, Rysvan raised it above his head. "I didn't want it to end like this, Ishmere, but it's the only way to save this dying world," Rysvan continued. If only Ishmere had heed his warning and left, he wouldn't be bloody at the Gladiator's feet. "You leave me no choice," he whispered.

 

For a brief moment, he swore he saw a glimpse of the warrior he used to know. Resigning to his fate, Ishmere closed his eyes before the sword swung down.

 

"You always had a choice."


	2. Guilt

He was different from his father.

 

That boy had never once wanted to gain power for anything other than protecting others.

 

That passion of his to save others was the source of his true strength.

 

So why?

 

Was Iona's blessing not enough to save him from the Black Dragon's corruption?

 

Did the Crusader somehow missed the slight changes he might have shown?

 

Or was his bond with the Gladiator that frivolous compared to the bond between father and son; if he could ever call that merciless man a father. No matter how hard he prayed or sought the boy, he could not find the answers to his questions.

 

In the end, he could not let guilty eat away at his conscience.

 

Make it or break it.

 

Unsheathing his blade, he faced his other half. He made a pledge to Altea he would save his soul and bring back the old warrior that gave Lagendia hope.

 

Should this battle forfeit his life so be it.


	3. Turning Point

He felt hopeless.

No matter how hard he trained, he'd always needed to be rescued by others; Ishmere, Argenta and even...

Geraint.

Compared to him, Geraint was the pillar of Saint Haven. Without him, the world would surely succumb to the black dragons. Even Ishmere is more reliable than him, always finding a way to bring comfort to the people without even trying.

Compared to them, Rysvan was nothing more than another pawn on the chessboard. A disposable soldier used by Ignacio to do his evil bidding without even realizing it. Maybe the goddess had set him out for failure.

It was then he met him.

"Hello, son."

Maybe now he can finally make a difference.


	4. Thicker Than Water

A sickening slash could be heard from the battlefield as Aidan ran towards his brother and the traitorous gladiator. However he wasn't fast enough and could only watch as Ishmere's decapitated head rolls to his feet. Rysvan met the ripper's furious glare. "I thought you'd be smarter than him but I was mistaken," he said with a smile. The smile was no longer innocent ones he had in the past.

 

This smile made Aidan wanted to throw up in disgust.

 

"You... How could you do this? To him nonetheless!"

 

Upon hearing those words, Rysvan couldn't stop the urge to laugh, a laugh so loud that he felt his throat burning.

 

He liked that sensation.

 

He wasn't that cruel, he'd given all of them a chance to run away but they were stubborn. Just like the fellow crusader that led them to their deaths. "Why not? He was in the way and so did them," Rysvan said while nodding his head towards the other soldiers on the ground. The ripper shifted his gaze to the bloody bodies littered on the ground.

 

Aidan wasn't even sure if any of them was still alive.

 

He couldn't possible understand as why the gladiator would turn his sword against the person who meant the world to him. And most importantly, that person was his brother. Rage boiled within his vein as he unsheathed his weapon.

 

"Kekeke, looks like I've gotta play the hero today," he said bearing his signature grin. The gladiator said nothing and returned Aidan's grin with his own vicious ones. Rysvan wiped the blood splattered on his face and assumed his battle stance. Mimicking the gladiator, Aidan realized one thing, Rysvan's eyes no longer shone with life.

 

It gleamed with death.


End file.
